ENGINEERS from Scotland were drafted in to help restore electricity to North Wales homes yesterday.

Hundreds of householders had their supplies cut off by the stormy weather.

A ScottishPower Manweb spokes-woman said more than 1,000 homes had been affected in the North and mid Wales areas, as well as Cheshire.

She said extra engineers and contractors had been drafted in to help restore supplies with the aim that everybody should have their power back by this morning.

She said: "We knew it was coming. Trees and debris from the storms have been hitting power lines."

One of the most exposed areas was Anglesey where power cables had been smashed by the winds at Mynydd Mechell, near Amlwch, and strong winds caused telephone cables to "spark" aafter hitting each other on Llainwen estate, Tynygongl, near Benllech.

Despite the gale force winds and atrocious weather it was quiet for the emergency services over the weekend.

There was a sprinkling of snow over yr Wyddfa and the highest peaks in Snowdonia yesterday but no reports of any climbers or walkers having to be rescued.

Llanberis mountain rescue team chairman Aled Taylor said: "Llanberis have put in a lot of effort into persuading people not to go out in the mountains in bad weather by leafleting and I believe that we're seeing the fruits of that effort."

Holyhead Coastguard said: "The weather was well-forecasted and people are paying attention."

However the coastguard called out the Environment Agency to take away a dead donkey, washed up on the shore at Criccieth at 3pm on Saturday.

There were flood warnings issued for the Llangollen area over the weekend.

A North Wales Fire Service spokeswoman said the occupants of a house in Maude Street, Rhyl, had a lucky escape when a bedroom window blew in after 10pm on Saturday night. Nobody was injured.

And at Abergele, at 1.30 on Sunday morning, a garden shed landed on a car at Min y Don, while another garden shed was blown about by the wind at Llys Trefor Jones, Llysfaen.

Fire officers from Buckley, Deeside and Flint were called out to tackle a blaze at a hayshed at Kinnerton Bank Farm, Kinnerton, after 4pm on Saturday which had started after the hay bales had got too hot. They had to return yesterday after the fire had reignited.

nForecasters warned of a "penetrating" bitter wind from the north west making it icy until the sun rises today, bringing warmer temperatures.